Bag sealing machine



Sept. 11, 1956 w YOUNG, JR 2,762,179

BAG SEALING MACHINE FiledFeb. 18, 1954 '2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Pass W %(1229 i):

Sept. 11, 1956 R. w. YouNG, JR

BAG SEALING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1954 INVENTOR. Pass li( Van/79; cfx: BY

United States Parent BAG SEALING MACHINE Ross W. Young, Jr., Harlingen, Tex., assignor to Tri-Pak Machinery Service, Inc., Harlingen, Tex., a Corporation of Texas Application February 18, 1954, Serial No. 411,104

7 Claims. (CI. 53-198) The present invention relates generally to a machine for sealing the ends of bags and the like packages.

It is now conventional practice in many grocery stores to package various food products such as carrots, beets, turnips and the like in transparent plastic bags formed of Pliofilm or the like material and subsequently seal 4 and then pressed downwardly into the slot. Means are provided in the slot for causing the tape to encircle the twisted bag end in the form of a band, adherng thereto, and having extending ends adhesvely secured to each other. The bag end with the encircling band is then withdrawn from the slot and advanced to the front end of the machine where severing means is provided for severing the unfastened tape from the bag and at the same time prepare the tape for the next scaling operation.

The machine is relatively small in size, inexpensve to manufacture, of sturdy constructon and is adapted to rest upon any grocery counter without any additional r'astening means required.

Thus, the principal object of the present invention is to provide a machine which will seal the twisted end of a filled bag in a simple, expeditous manner. A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of relatively few parts, which can be inexpensively manufactured and which is simple to operate.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side view of the machine forming the subject matter of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan View thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2 with the roll of tape removed and the pressure anvils in operative position.

Figure 4 is a top plan View showing the pressure anvils in normal position.

Figure 5 is a side view of the anvils shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the machine showing the first step in the operation of applying the tape.

Fgure 7 is a perspective view of the machine showing the step of severing the tape after the scaling operation.

Referring to the drawings, particularly to Figures 1, 2 and 3, numeral 10 designates the tape-dispensing machine which is shown as an integral cast metal housing having a flat surface 11 for resting on a conventional counter top. conventional rubber pads 12 are suitably aflixed to the underside of the surface 11 to prevent slippage and marring of the counter top.

The housing comprises a rear tape holding portion 13 and a front scaling and severing portion 14. As seen in Figure 2, the rear portion 13 is approximately three times the width of the front portion 14 whereby to add stability to the machine and to form a recess 15 to receive the tape supporting reel 16. Upstanding wing portions 17 and 18 extend from the rear portion to the front end of the machine to provide a flat ledge 19. The tape, indicated by numeral 20, rests upon the ledge 19 and is guided by the wing portions 17 and 18 to the front end of the machine.

The rear portion of the machine includes upstanding wa-lls 21 and 22 which define the recess 15. The walls 21 and 22 are continuations of wing portions 17 and 18 and are provided with inclined slots 23 and '24 for receiving and rotatably supporting the reel aXle 25. As seen in Figure 3, the machine is suitably hollowed out to accommodate the reel and roll of tape and also hollowed out at 27 for a purpose to be described.

As seen in Figures 2 and 3, the forward end 14 of the machine is slotted at 28, said slot terminating at a point 29. The slot extends through both wing members 17 and 18 and through the ledge 19. Pivotally supported by opposite wing members 17 and 18, and located on opposite sides of the slot 28 above point 29 are the scaling anvils generally indicated by the numeral 30.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, a pair of spaced anvils 31, 32 are shown rigidly mounted on aXle 33 which in turn is pivotally supported in wing portions 17 and 18 as seen in Figure 3. A third anvil member 34 is centrally mounted on axle 35 and is adapted to extend between the two anvils 31 and 32 when in operative position. The axle 35 is also rotatably supported in wing portions 17 and 18 but on the opposite side of the slot 28 as clearly seen in Figure 3. Each of the anvils consists of a striking or anvil face 36, a weighted portion 37, and a stop portion or arm 38. In the normal position of the anvils, the weighted portions 37 tend to pivot the anvils about their axles until the' stop arms strike against the opposite axles thereby leaving a space between the anvil faces 36. The normal position of the anvils is shown in Figures i, 5 and 6. When the twisted portion of the bag, indicated by numeral 39, is inserted in the slot 28 as seen in Figure 6, the portion 39 passes down between the faces 36 and bears against the stop arms 38, thus overcoming the weight of the portions 37 and causing the anvil faces 36 to come together. This position of the anvils is the scaling position and is shown in Figure 3.

The severing mechanism comprises a pointed blade 40 secured to the machine by a screw 41 immediately adjacent the front edge of the ledge 19. A knurled roller 42 is rotatively mounted between the wing members 17 and 18 and serves to position the tape 20 against the ledge 19.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The roll of tape is positioned in the machine with the free end of the tape extending to the severing mechanism at the front end of the machine. lt will be apparent that the tape is unwound and positioned in such manner that the tacky side of the tape faces upwardly and that the tape overlies the slot 28. The operator then takes the open end of the filled bag in both hands and imparts a twist thereto whereby said end assumes a tubular form. The operator then inserts the tubular twisted portion 39 into the slot 28 causing the portion 39 to contact the tape and press it into the slot. Continued downward movement of portion 39 unwinds the roll of tape and the tape and bag end strike against the anvil arms 38. This causes the anvil faces to pivot towards each other, thus forming a band about the twisted bag end with slightly extending portions of the tape in contact with each other. The anvil faces moving towards each other cause intimate and sealing contact between these extending portions. It Will be obvious that the tacky portions of the tape come together r a A, 3

to achieve this seal. The operator then withdraws the seaied bag portion from the slot and with a forward and downward movement of the bag severs the remaining tape from thebanded portion of the tape. ;This operation leaves the remaining tape in the'position shown in Figure l; and is ready for a subsequent sealing operation which is performed in the manner described above.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an improved bag scaling machine Whereby the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use. As various possible embodirnents'might be made of the above invention, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. r i

Having thus described my invention, what I'claim is: 1. A bag scaling machine comprising a housing having a tape receiving portion, a tape supporting ledge adjacent said tape supporting portion, a slot for-med in said tape supporting ledge, and means within the housing below said slot and adapted to provide a sealing pressure to any object inserted through said slot, said means comprising a plurality of cooperating pivoted anvils with at least one anvil on each of 'opposite sides of the slot.

2. A bag scaling machine as'defined in claim 1,' said anvils having striking faces adapted to contact each other upon insertion of an object through the slot.

3. A bag sealing machine as defied in claim 2, said anvils having a weighted portion for normally holding the striking faces out of contact with each other. a

4. A machine as described in claim 3, and tape severing means at the forward end of the tape supporting ledge.

5. A bag sealing machine comprising a housing having a tape receiving portion 'at one' end thereof, a roll of tape rotatably mounted in said tape receiving portion, a tape supporting ledge having a slot formed therein, said tape adapted to overli e said slot and extend therebeyond, anvils pivctally mounted on opposite sides of the slot within' a the housing, each of said anvils having a striking face and a stop arm,'said stop arms being movable downwardly to bring the striking faces toward each other.

6. A bag scaling machine as defined in claim 5, and weighted portions on said anvils for holding the striking faces out of contact with each other.

7. A bag sealing machine' as defined in claim 6,`and

tape severing means at the forward end of the tape supporting ledge. i

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,645,286. Boyd July 14, 1953 

